Walleye, northern, smallmouth bass and panfish all putting on a good to excellent bite, with musky and largemouth bass providing good action. Time to start planning your fall hunting trip to Eagle River. All in the Eagle River area.

Water temps in the Eagle River area are in the low to mid 70s.

Walleye in the Eagle River area are in 15 feet of water or less, in the weeds or off the adjacent break edges. The walleye are tight to bottom. Use a minnow under a slip bobber when fishing the weeds.

When fishing the adjacent break edges, use a 1/16 to 1/8 ounce jig tipped with a leech or a chunk of crawler. All day bite, with peaks in the evening. Action is good to excellent.

Northern in the Eagle River area are in 10 feet of water or less in and around weeds. Use a small bucktail, bass style spinner bite or a northern sucker under a slip bobber. All day action, and the bite is good to excellent. Smallmouth bass in the Eagle River area are off of break edges over hard bottom (rock/sand/gravel) locations in six to 30 feet of water. Use a 3 or 4 inch tube, or a jig and a leech. All day bite. Action is good to excellent.

Panfish (crappies, bluegills and perch) are in 12-feet of water or less right in the weeds or off of weed edges. Perch are tight to bottom, with crappies and gills suspending up and down the water column. Use a minnow, chunk of crawler on a jig or under a slip bobber, or a Mini Mite or Frizzee jig. Bite is good to excellent. All day action.

Musky in the Eagle River area are in 12 feet of water or less off of weed edges or over adjacent hard bottom areas. Use a bucktail, topwater or crankbait. All day bite with peaks in the evening. Don’t forget to always do a “figure 8” with your bait as it nears the boat. Lots of muskies hit at that time. Action is good.

The largemouth bass in the Eagle River area are in the weeds or locating near shoreline structure, like docks, fallen trees or brush piles in 10 feet of water or less. Use a plastic worm rigged weedless, Bass Rat, Scum Frog, or the still excellent – tried-and-true, Heddon Torpedo. Action is good, with an all day bite, and peaks in the evening.

Hunting report
Now is the time to start thinking about planning your fall hunting trip to Eagle River. As a destination, the Eagle River area offers hunters some big advantages. First, there is abundant game. This includes grouse, woodcock, ducks, geese, deer, bear, and turkey, among others. Second, and perhaps most importantly, there are tons of public land for you to explore and pursue your quarry. To the east and south, there is the Nicolet National Forest. To the west is the Northern Highland American Legion State Forest, and to the north is the Vilas County Forest.

This last parcel is the least known and perhaps most interesting: Extensive system of maintained, excellent hunter/hiking trails and very lightly used. Many managed wildlife opening. Important because in the heavily forested Northwoods these provide an important edge and grassland habitat for wildlife – very rare.

These openings are great spots to set up blinds for turkey and deer. The thick brush around the edges is attractive to grouse in the fall, and the grassy areas are important brood rearing areas in the summer.

The entire community of Eagle River will welcome you to one of the great hunting opportunities anywhere.